Teaser

The Golden Age of Science Fiction began in 1939. But this was not the start of the genre as we know it. Gathered herein are a collection of the finest science fiction stories of the 1930s . . .

Review

As part of my ongoing mission to read all of Isaac Asimov’s short fiction, I’m now wading through slightly murkier waters. I’ve now read the overwhelming majority of his solo collections (the biggest gap being his crime fiction) and have therefore turned to his works anthologised by others. In an odd twist, Before the Golden Age, edited by Asimov himself, includes a short story that appears nowhere else. As oddities go, it’s beaten only by ‘The Weapon,’ which is found only in Asimov’s autobiography In Memory Yet Green. The connection between the two stories is that they were believed lost for many years, so Asimov just chucked them in where and when he got the chance. The best evidence I have to back up this claim is that ‘Big Game’ which appears here, was published in 1941, outside the stated scope of the anthology. But hey, it’s Asimov. He can break a rule or two if he wants.

‘Big Game’ is the shortest story in the book, and follows that old Asimov standard of some men having a conversation about a scientific principle, only to realise there’s a sting in the tale. It is by no means Asimov’s best work, and isn’t even particularly memorable. But it is a story I hadn’t come across before, and that is in itself an ever rarer treasure.

The rest of the anthology is similarly adequate. The only story that particularly stood out for me was Edmond Hamilton’s ‘The Accursed Galaxy,’ which has an innovative explanation for an ever-expanding galaxy. Hamilton aside, the anthology is split fairly evenly between authors I’m familiar with but don’t have any affection for (Murray Leinster, John W. Campbell) and those who are new to me, but don’t thrill me (John D. Clarke, Henry Hasse, Leslie Frances Stone). As you might expect from stories written between 1935 and 1938, prose is not the strong point of anyone involved. The appeal of these stories lies not in the execution, but in the ideas held within. You can see in this collection a genre that is slowly figuring out its own rules. Who is allowed to write (scientists), what should be written about (science), and how (in as exciting a manner as possible). There is entertainment here, but also a level of scientific communication that is much rarer these days than it was ninety years ago.

Framing the collection are a series of lengthy editorial notes from Isaac Asimov. These are not simply snippets of author biographies, or a synopsis of the stories, however. This is as much the story of Asimov’s love affair with science fiction as it is an anthology of short stories. As well as telling us about each story, Asimov tells us about his first encounter with each story, mostly by reading them in the magazines sold in his father’s candy stores. Woven through this are notes of historical context regarding the ebb and flow of pulp publications, the role of different magazine editors, and, of course, scientific milestones. Clearly, the personal anecdotes only work because of Asimov’s reputation, but the rest of the framework is editorialising of the highest possible standard. If more editors worked like this, I would buy a whole lot more anthologies.

For an Asimov fan, this is an invaluable addition to the library, with the supporting materials more than making up for the lacklustre stories.

Book Stats

• Contains 12 stories
• Collection originally published in 1974
• Republished in three parts in 1975
• 400 pages